Fence-post brace.



J. HEYERLY.

FENCE POST BRAGE.

APPLICATION FILED SET. 19, 1911.

Patented Apr. 30, 1912.

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J. HEYERLY.

FENCE POST BRAGE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 19, 1911.

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WITNESSES; INVENTOR.

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JOHN HEYERLY, OF NEAR BLUFFTON, INDIANA.

FENCE-POST BRACE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed September 19, 1911.

Patented Apr. 30, 1912.

Serial No. 650,124..

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J OHN HEYERLY, a citizen of the United States, residing near Bluffton, in the county of Wells and State of Indiana, have invented new and useful Improvements in FencePost Braces, of which the following is a specification.

My present invention relates to braces for fence posts. Its object is to provide a simple, inexpensive and eflicient means for bracing a fence post and is particularly adapted for use in connect-ion with posts which do not enter the ground, but rest merely on the surface thereof.

Another object is to provide an adjustable means by which a post may be moved to tighten the wires of a fence in the con struction of the same or to take up the slack of a previously constructed fence.

It consists in the novel features of construction, arrangement and combination of parts hereinafter described and illustrated in the drawings, in which drawings Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a post provided with my invention; Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional View of a post illustrat-ing the mode of attachment of the horizontal braces; Fig. 3 is a detail of the vertical brace; Fig. 4;, a front view of the main tie plate; Fig. 5, an end View of Fig. 4:; Fig. 6, a fractional view of a post illus trating the means for moving the post to tighten the fence wires; Fig. 7, detail views of the block to be used in adjusting the post on the braces; Fig. 8, a sectional view of a post illustrating a modified form of reversible tie plate attached to the post on the opposite side from the main plate; Fig. 9, a perspective view of the same, and Figs. 10 and 11 detail views of the reversible tie plate.

Referring to the drawings, 1 is a post of any suitable form and material which preferably rests on the ground. At the lower extremity of the post and on one side thereof is a tie plate 2 which is provided with a recessed portion 3 in which the post seats. This plate extends at each end beyond the sides of the post and the projecting ends are provided with openings 4 and 5 respectively. In the outer end of one projecting end is a threaded opening 6 which is arranged at right angles to opening at and terminates therein and is adapted to receive set screw 7. Another opening 8 is provided in the central portion of tie plate 2 and is adapted to receive eye bolt 9 which passes through post 1 and through plate 10, which plate is held by the eye bolt to the opposite side of the post. One extremity of plate 10 pro jects beyond the side of post 1 and is provided with an opening 11 through which and through opening 5 in plate 2 is passed a bolt 12, nut 13 thereon serving to draw the two plates taut and furnishing an additional brace to the post 1. Eye bolt 9 is connected by rod or wire 14 to eye bolt 15 which is adjustably carried by lug 16 on casting 16, which casting preferably rests on the ground and is provided with a socket 17 which receives the lower end of brace 18. Brace 18 is made up of two telescoping hollow members 18 and 19. The upper end of member 19 engages a stud 20 which projects from plate 20, plate 20 having two lateral perforated ears 21 by which the plate is secured by nails to the upper portion of the post. The telescoping portions of members 18 and 19 are provided with registering openings 22, through any alined pair of which a pin 23 may be inserted thereby securing the two members in any adjusted position. By tightening nut 15 on eye bolt 15, brace 18, casting l6 and the post are held in fixed relation.

' A suitable distance from post 1 and on the opposite side thereof relative to tie plate 2 I provide a block or support 24, which may rest on the surface of the ground or be partially embedded therein. Through opening 4 in tie plate 2 extends a rod 25. This rod is horizontally disposed and rests on the top of block or support 24. Beyond the latter the rod is bent downwardly and extends into the ground. Rod 25 is anchored in the ground in any suitable manner as by rods 26 which are loosely connected to the lower end of rod 25, the lower ends of rods 26 having eyes 27 through which bars or timbers 28 are passed, the bars 28 and rods 26 being embedded in the ground. Rods 26 diverge from rod 25 so that the three rods form a Y. Any suitable anchor for rod 25 will suflice for my purpose. Set screw 7 holds the post and rod 25 in any relative position in which they are placed. A collar 29 may be placed on the rod adjacent plate 2 and secured thereto by set screw 30 thereby furnishing additional securing means for the post and rod 25. A suitable angle 31 may also be secured to the side of post 1 above bolt 12, the horizontal arm of the angle being perforated. An eye bolt 32 passes through the perforation and the bolt is con nected by wire or rod 3-1 to a bar or timber 33 which is embedded in the ground. A nut 35 on the upper end of bolt 32 serves to tighten the connection between the angle 31 and bar 33- thereby anchoring the post against vertical movement.

With the several parts attached and. connected as just described the post is securely held from movement in the direction of brace 18 by rod 25, it being understood that the wires extend in that direction.

To move the post toward bars 28 in order to tighten the fence wires I place on the free end of rod 25 block 36 which is provided with a central opening 37 by which the block is slipped onto the rod. This block carries two bolts 38 which are in threaded engagement with the same and are adapted to be rotated so as to force their forward ends against plate 2. A set screw 39 in a threaded opening 40 in block 36 serves to lock the block to rod 25 at any desired point. When block 36 is secured to rod 25 set screws 7 and 30 are released and by rotating bolts 38 in the proper direction the post is forced toward the bars 28 thereby tightening the fence wires. Set screws 7 and 80 are again tightened, thereby securing the post and rod 25 in their new relative positions. Block 36 is then removed.

In Figs 8*11 I illustrate a modified form of plate for furnishing the additional brace similar to plate 10. In this modification casting 50 is reversible and may be used on any side of a post. It consists of a plate 50 having a recessed face to receive the post, the opposite ends having openings 51 therein and the ends being adapted to project beyond the opposite sides of the post. In use either one of the openings 51 serves to sup port a bolt 52 which is also supported in opening 5 of plate 2 similarly to bolt 12 or in a similar opening'in plate 53, which plate is a modified form of plate 2, the modification consisting in providing an angularly disposed opening 54 to receive rod 55 in place of a horizontally disposed opening 4 for rod 25. Projecting from the face of the plate 50 is a block 56 having two openings 57 extending from the top surface to the bottom, the two openings slanting toward each other and intersecting at the bottom.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. C.

The top of the block may slope downwardly in opposite directions and at right angles to the axes of openings 57. Another opening 58 in the upper portion of plate 50 serves to receive eye bolt 59 similar to eye bolt 9. Either one of openings 57 is adapted to receive a rod 60 which extends clownwardly into the ground and is suitably connected to a bar or timber similarly to rod 25.

The two openings 57 enable the user to insert a rod 60 in either direction, thereby enabling him to use the casting on any side of the post. This casting is particularly valuable on a corner post, since it permits the use of the same no matter which way the fence wires may extend.

What I claim is:

1. The combination with a post, of a plate engaging one side of the postand having its extremities projecting beyond the sides of the post, a member engaging the post on the opposite side thereof and having a bolted connection with one extremity of the plate, a rod loosely engaging the other extremity of the plate and anchored in the ground and means coacting with the plate to secure the post to the rod in any adjusted position.

2. The combination with a post, of a plate secured to the post on one side thereof, a rod adjustably carried by the plate and having one end anchored in the ground, a second plate secured to the opposite side of the posthaving a bolted connection to the first named plate and having a block projecting laterally therefrom, said block having a downwardly extending opening adapted to support an anchoring rod.

3. The combination with a post, of a plate secured to the post on one side thereof, a rod adjustably carried by the plate and having one end anchored in the ground, a second. plate secured to the opposite side of the post having a bolted connection to the first named plate and having a block projecting laterally therefrom, said block having a plurality of downwardly extending openin s which in tersect at their lower ends.

In witness whereof, I hereunto sign my name this 16th day of September, 1911.

J OHN I-IEYERLY lVitnesses:

ELwIN M. Home, HELEN F. GLENN. 

